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It is almost too certain that no Nigerian motorist or possessor of a vehicle is void of the knowledge of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) or ‘Road Safety’- as the officials are popularly referred to. The Federal Road Safety Commission is the Government Agency with statutory responsibilities for road safety administration in Nigeria. Founded over thirty years ago (in 1988), FRSC operates in all states in Nigeria as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It is the lead agency in Nigeria on road safety administration and management.

Using broad strokes, the Commission is saddled with the responsibility of: Making the highways safe for motorists and other road users as well as checking road worthiness of vehicles, recommending works and infrastructures to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways and educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of road discipline on the highways.

As much as the Commission is popular amongst motorist and so many pedestrians, there is little knowledge of some basic facts about the Commission. This article seeks to furnish you with some of these, especially with regards to its statutory functions.

Statutory functions of the Federal Road Safety Commission

The functions of the Commission basically is outlined as follows:

  • Making the highway safe for motorists and other road users.
  • Recommending works and devices designed to eliminate or minimize accidents on the highways and advising the Federal and State Governments including the Federal Capital Territory Administration and relevant governmental agencies on the localities where such works and devices are required, and
  • Educating motorists and members of the public on the importance of discipline on the highway.

In order to achieve the above, the Commission is charged with the following responsibilities:

  • Preventing or minimizing accidents on the highway.
  • Clearing obstructions on any part of the highways.
  • Educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways.
  • Designing and producing the driver’s license to be used by various categories of vehicle operators.
  • Determining, from time to time, the requirements to be satisfied by an applicant for a driver’s license.
  • Designing and producing vehicle number plates.
  • The standardization of highway traffic codes.
  • Educating drivers, motorists and other members of the public generally on the proper use of the highways.
  • Giving prompt attention and care to victims of accidents.
  • Conducting researches into causes of motor accidents and methods of preventing them and putting into use the result of such researches.
  • Determining and enforcing speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices.
  • Cooperating with bodies or agencies or groups in road safety activities or in the prevention of accidents on the highways.
  • Making regulations in pursuance of any of the functions assigned to the Corps by or under this Act.
  • Regulating the use of sirens, flashers and beacon lights on vehicles other than ambulances and vehicles belonging to the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police, Fire Service and other Para-military agencies;
  • Providing roadside and mobile clinics for the treatment of accident victims free of charge.
  • Regulating the use of mobile phones by motorists.
  • Regulating the use of seat belts and other safety devices.
  • Regulating the use of motorcycles on the highways.
  • Maintaining the validity period for drivers’ licenses which shall be three years subject to renewal at the expiration of the validity period.
  • In exercising these functions, members of the Commission have the power to arrest and prosecute persons reasonably suspected of having committed any traffic offence.

It was founded in 1988. The Federal Government established the Federal Road Safety Commission through Decree No. 45 of 1988 as amended by Decree 35 of 1992 referred to in the statute books as the FRSC Act cap 141 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN). Passed by the National Assembly as Federal Road Safety Corps (establishment) Act 2007.

It is also a worth noting fact that the First Chairman of the Federal Road Safety Board was Professor Wole Soyinka.

Sources:

Wikipedia

Frsc.gov.NG

Featured Image Source: Daily post NG

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This article was first published on 24th August 2019

jeremiah

Jeremiah is a scholar and a poet. He has a keen eye for studying the world and is passionate about people. He tweets at @jeremiahaluwong.

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